


Trust and Intuition

by FlightlessAngelWings



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Action, Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), Adventure, Brief non explicit mention of past abuse, Canon Compliant, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, Mando is a badass, Mando is a softie, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Mutual Pining, No use of y/n, Post Season 1, bad attempts at flirting, reader is a badass, tender moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22245976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightlessAngelWings/pseuds/FlightlessAngelWings
Summary: On the search for answers about the child, the Mandalorian finds himself in front of the king of a distant planet. The king contracts him to find a rouge vigilante in the capital city as a favor before giving any answers. But Mando quickly learns there is more to this seemingly random vilgante than meets the eye, and there’s more going on than everyone let on.
Relationships: The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You
Comments: 15
Kudos: 133





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> The planet in this story is something I made up. I hope you enjoy the start of this new fic here!

The Mandalorian sat in the cockpit of his ship and sighed. His new mission was simple in theory, but daunting in reality: find where this child is from and return him home. He stared back at the baby as he found himself wondering where in the galaxy he should start. The child stared back at him and smiled widely. The pair stared at each other for a few moments before the Mandolorian spoke.

“We’ll figure this out, buddy,” he assured the baby, who giggled in response.

It was then that Mando remembered a planet that was renowned for its vast library and research.

“That’s as good a place as any to start,” he said to himself as he set a course for the planet Durane. The trip there was quiet and uneventful; everyone in this part of the galaxy seemed to keep to themselves, which was completely fine with the Mandalorian. He navigated his ship to a lot on the edge of the capital city.

The baby yawned as Mando gathered supplies to go out into the city. “I want you to stay here,” he told the child as he settled him into a cozy cot. The child didn’t protest as easily fell into a deep sleep. Mando gently stroked the baby’s cheek once before he turned to leave.

The capital city of Durane was bustling with life. Traders worked in the large market in the center of town, and there were libraries on every corner. The Mandalorian spent most of the morning asking around for any information on the child’s species, but with no luck. One scholar then suggested to go to the royal palace, where the most lucrative information is kept.

With no other options, the Mandalorian went to the large palace on the top of the hill and asked for an audience with the king. The palace guards and advisors scrambled: what does a mandalorian want with the king?

“Mandalorian, the king will see you now,” a guard called Mando’s attention just as he was about to give up and leave. He nodded without a word and followed the guard into the main audience chamber.

It was a lavish room filled with old weapons as decor on the walls and the best woven rugs on the floors. For how much it was decorated, the room itself was mostly bare. A few table lined the walls, and the large throne sat elevated in the center of the room. On that throne, sat the king, dressed in all black topped with a silk cape.

“I am King Jido Thalcard of Durane,” he spoke in an authoritative voice, “But you already knew that.”

Mando gave a small nod, but said nothing yet. He stood tall with his arms crossed in front of him.

“What brings a mandalorian all the way out here to my humble little planet?”

“I’m looking for answers,” he said.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific than that.”

Mando chose his words carefully as he wasn’t sure if this king was trustworthy yet, “I came across a creature that I’ve never seen before and I need to know more about it.”

The king scoffed, “A bounty that stumped this bounty hunter?! I’m intrigued,” he paused for a moment, “I’ll grant you access to the palace library, but I need you to do something for me first.”

The Mandalorian sighed quietly, of course it wouldn’t be this easy, “What do you need?”

“There’s a vigilante running around causing havoc in my city,” Kind Jido started.

“And you need me to take him out for you,” Mando guessed the end of his sentence.

“Yes and no,” the king rose for the first time, “I need him brought to me alive. You see, not only has he stolen from me and started riots in my streets,” he took a few steps towards the bounty hunter as he tapped his fingers together, “But he’s also kidnapped my queen. I need to know what he’s done with her,” his voice lowered to no more than a growl.

“Understood,” Mando said simply before he turned to leave.

~

You navigated your way through the busy plaza with your small embroidered duffle bag strapped tightly against your body. A hood covered your head, and you wore goggles to cover your eyes and a mask with a voice changer covered the lower half of your face. No one paid you any mind as you kept your head down and ducked around anyone you passed by. The only time you let your presence known was to help a woman that was being heckled by an unruly customer, and then went right back to your anonymity. 

You came up to a stand and made a purchase quickly before you moved on, your purchase safely tucked in your bag. You took a few steps before you had a strange feeling, like you were being watched. As you looked over your shoulder, you noticed who was watching you: the mandalorian. A short gasp escaped your lips as you turned to run.

“Shit,” you cursed under your breath as you weasled your way out of the crowded part of the plaza. In the back of your mind, you knew it was only a matter of time before the king would send someone after you. He didn’t exactly approve of your presence in his city, especially since it made his citizens question his authority. You didn’t look behind you, but you knew he was still on your tail. 

When you turned around a corner to a quiet alley, you almost ran directly into the mandalorian. Without a word, he reached out to grab your arm, but you slipped back before his hand closed on you. In one swift movement, you flung your bag into the shadows and pulled out two small staffs. You were determined not to go down without a fight, even if you knew what the outcome would be. 

The mandalorian stood his ground and waited for you to make the first move. You exhaled before you lashed out at him with your batons. He ducked and countered with a knife. The alley was quiet save for the clangs of your weapons as you parried with the bounty hunter.

After studying your movements, Mando got the advantage and knocked you off your feet. He was actually impressed how well you fought and held your ground until this point. You feel to the ground with a grunt, and the bounty hunter kicked your weapons away from you. 

As you hit the ground, your head collided with the hard floor and your goggles shattered. You strained to push yourself up to a sitting position, and with a sigh you pulled your goggles off of your face. Your head throbbed, but you got lucky that your mask hit the ground and not your head directly. 

Mando watched as you took a few deep breaths before you raised your hands up in surrender. He took a pair of cuffs out and locked your arms behind your back before he dragged you to your feet.

“Wait,” your voice sounded normal, the voice modulator in your mask must have broken when you hit the ground. You cursed to yourself; that would make things harder when he got you back to the palace. 

“I’m taking you in,” he said simply.

“Just wait,” you said breathlessly, tired from your spar. This made him stop in his tracks. “Just do me one favor. Please,” you pleaded.

The mandalorian just stared at you, unsure of what to say. It was definitely bold of his target to ask anything of him. 

“Please,” you started, “This is important. Just take my bag to the ruins on the outside of the city,” desperation lined your voice.

He looked into your eyes and saw the genuine concern in them. He also heard the pain in your voice, which wasn’t the voice he was expecting to hear. His grip on your arm loosened slightly as something in his head told him to trust you.

“I can pay you,” you added in a last effort to get the bounty hunter to comply with your request. 

That snapped him out of his thoughts.

“In my pocket here,” you nodded your head to your right. Mando stared at your for a moment, and as if you read his thoughts you added, “I know when I’ve been defeated. I’m not going to try anything.”

The bounty hunter tightened his grip on your arm as he reached for your pocket. Right at the top, he felt the credits you mentioned. He looked into your eyes again as he pulled them out before he led you back to the palace. Neither of you spoke again after that. 

The large doors of the grand hall opened to let in the mandalorian and his catch. Your arms were still bound behind you and a strong hand held you tightly. You held yourself tall and wore a fierce look in your eyes, the only part of your face visible.

King Jido sat on his throne and watched the two of you walk in. A dark smile graced his face when he saw what the bounty hunter had brought him, “Excellent work, Mandalorian,” he spoke as he walked towards the center of the room to meet you.

Mando simply bowed his head slightly as he released his grip on you. Uninterested in what the king had to say, he turned to a steward behind him for his payment. You stared at the king with a fierce look, as if you tried to stab him with your gaze alone. 

“Did he say anything, mandalorian?” Jido’s voice called his attention.

He turned slightly back towards the voice, “He didn’t say a word.”

Under your mask, a smile flashed across your face, but you were careful not to let it know in your eyes. In your eyes, all you let show was hate and rage directed at the king that now stood directly in front of you.

“Where have you taken her, scum?” his voice was but a growl as he grabbed you by your clothes. 

With your voice modulator broken, you knew your voice would give your identity away. Instead, you chose to answer with action and headbutted the king, and hit him right in the nose. His body flew back as he lost his footing and his guards shouted and aimed their blasters at you. Mando didn’t move, however, and under his helmet he laughed to himself. There was something about the king he did not trust, even if he couldn’t figure out exactly why. He took the distraction as an opportunity to slip out of the room with his payment unnoticed.

King Jido raised his arms up, “Lower your weapons,” he ordered as he touched his hand to his face, now coated in blood. The guards did as they were told. He sauntered up to you and took your masked chin in his hands. He studied your eyes for a moment before he spoke, “No one looks at me with that much open rage,” his voice was low so that only you could hear him, “Maybe some time in the dungeon will calm you down.”

You understood the threat in his voice, and knew exactly what his words meant. You sighed as the guards hauled you out of the grand room. The only hope you had was that the mandalorian was a man of his word and would go where you asked him to. What lay there was more important to you than your life anyway. As long as that was safe, then you were at peace with your situation. 


	2. The Escape

When the Mandalorian got back to his ship, the child was awake. He greeted his caregiver at the door with a wide smile. Mando put his bags down and scooped the child up into his arms.

“Sorry I was longer than I thought,” he told the child in a soft voice, “But I brought you something to eat.”

The child cooed as he grabbed a hold of the Mandalorian’s arm, happy to see him again. Mando carried the baby to another room on the ship and set him down at a little table. He sat a small bowl in front of his foundling before he sat down opposite him.

As he watched the baby gleefully eat, his eyes drifted to the pile behind him. On top of that pile lay the embroidered duffle bag he took from you after your fight. Mando was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the child stopped eating and just looked up at him. He felt the gaze of those big, wide eyes and it shook him out of his trance. The two stared at each other for a few minutes, and seemed to have a conversation without any words.

After some time, the Mandalorian sighed, “Come on,” he said as he reached for the child and headed for the door. He also picked up the duffle bag on the way out.

Under the cover of night, the bounty hunter went on foot to the edge of the vast city, the child securely strapped to his chest and the bag slung over his shoulder. The further away he got from the center of the city, the quieter the area became. He kept his stance tense, ready for anything that may jump out of the shadows. 

As he stood on a small cliff on the city’s border, Mando focused a scanner to look for life in the ruins that you spoke of. He still wasn’t sure why he was out here in the first place; maybe it was the look in your eyes, a look that whatever was here was more important than your life. And he knew that feeling all too well.

He gave a quick glance down at the child before he went back to scanning the terrain. To the naked eye, there was nothing there. However, Mando could see about a dozen heat signatures hidden within the ruins. They were all small, and none appeared to carry any weapons.

“Strange,” he thought out loud before he moved to enter the ruins. He kept the baby strapped close to him and his blaster ready in case of danger, however Mando was confident that whatever was here did not pose any threat. 

Out of the perfials of his vision, Mando noticed movement, and someone watching him. Careful not to startle, he kept still, and watched as the figure slowly crept out of the shadows. It caught the bounty hunter off guard when he realized it was a child, no older than 11 he guessed.

“It’s alright,” he raised his hands, “I won’t hurt you,” he spoke softly to the child.

The boy inched closer cautiously, and Mando noticed how unkempt and thin he looked. He kept his arms wrapped around his little body, and he looked like a scared animal. “That bag,” he finally said in a meek voice.

“You know who this belongs to?” he asked the kid.

He nodded in response, “Can we have it please?” he had a similar pleading look in his eyes as you had.

Mando kept his guard up, but decided to hand the bag over to the boy, who eagerly grabbed and opened it. Inside, there was food, blankets and supplies. As he ruffled through the bag, more children appeared from the shadows. They all looked as though they made these ruins their home, and ranged in age from about 4 to about 11 or 12. 

“What is going on here?” he asked the boy, and visibly relaxed his posture so that he did not look like a danger to the children.

The boy glanced at Mando shyly, “We live here,” he said as he handed the food out to the other children, “She keeps us safe. Brings us food,” he finally met the Mandalorian’s face, “But since you’re here, something must have happened.”

A pang of guilt hit Mando, “Why? What’s going on here?”

“I don’t know exactly,” the kid looked sad, “Kids in this city started disappearing. Then that woman in the mask showed up and brought whoever she could out here to hide,” he looked back at the other children, who all wore a similar expression: hopelessness. “What happened to her?”

Mando sighed, “The king had a bounty out,” he told the crowd of children, “He said this person was a thief, a kidnapper and started riots.”

“That’s not true!” one of the other kids spoke up as a wave of gasps and muffled cries ran through the kids. The older ones tried to comfort the babies.

“She never stole!” shouted another. Overlapping chatter made it hard for Mando to hear exactly what they said, but he was sure one of them said something about how the woman brought the bag from the palace.

The boy looked up at Mando, “Please, can you get her out? She’s not a bad person! She told us she bought everything she got for us,” he pleaded, “You’re a mandalorian, right? You can do it, no problem,” tears threatened to fall from his eyes, “You have a baby, wouldn’t you do anything for him?” The boy motioned to the child strapped to his chest as he begged for help.

The child looked up at Mando, and Mando looked down to meet his gaze. He placed a gentle hand on the top of the child’s head, and he cooed in response. All of the children had stopped what they were doing to watch for the bounty hunter’s response. What had Mando stumbled upon this time?

~

The cell was small and dark, and you sat up against a cold wall, your arms still shackled behind your back. The mask and hood still covered you to hide your identity. You weren’t sure how long you sat there alone, but you were sure it was at least a day. The king had tried to interrogate you, but you did not speak a word as you knew your voice would give you away. Although you had a bad feeling that the king already guessed who you were.

Silence in the cell was maddening, but it wouldn’t last much longer. Just outside the walls of your confines, you heard baster shots and muffled screams. You furrowed your brows as you turned towards the bolted door. The blasts got closer, and as you wondered what was happening outside, the door busted open. Two stormtroopers fell into the room dead, and the Mandalorian stood in the doorway. You looked up in surprise as he swiftly made his way into your cell to unclasp your binds.

“You went out there, didn’t you?” your question was more of a statement as you rubbed your now free wrists.

“Come on,” was all he said as he led the way out of the cell. You stopped at the doorway to pick up a blaster from one of the fallen stormtroopers to arm yourself. 

“Jido is getting bold,” you commented as you poked one of the bodies.

Mando took your free hand, “Escape now, talk later,” he said as he led the way down the dark corridor.

“Right,” you agreed.

The hallways were like a maze, and even you had trouble navigating it. As you turned a corner, the two of you were met with a couple more troopers. Without hesitation, you shot them both right in the chest. From behind you, more ran up. The bounty hunter had your back and easily shot them down.

“Nice shot,” he said as he picked up the pace down the hall.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” you answered playfully, and you sore you heard him stifle a laugh. You were surprised at how at ease you felt with him, even in this dangerous situation. It was like you instantly felt safe; maybe your instinct to trust him was right.

Alarms blared throughout the palace to alert the guards of your escape. You tried to think of the layout in your head, and guided Mando along the corridors. Between the two of you, any stormtroopers or guards that tried to stop you were easily dealt with. As you and the bounty hunter ran down the halls, you ended up on an open bridge in the midday sun between two of the palace towers. On one end of the bridge stood a gaggle of men that blocked the way. Their blasters were aimed at you but they didn’t shoot yet. 

Mando tried to turn you around to go back the way you came, but that way was now blocked by another group of stormtroopers. You stood you with back to the bounty hunter as you both aimed your blasters at your enemies on either side of the bridge. Panic started to rise within you as you dreaded the thought of facing King Jido again. You guessed that he wouldn’t be as easy on you this time around. 

“Got any ideas?” you asked over your shoulder. You hoped he did, because you drew a blank.

“Yeah, I got one. Hang on,” he gave you no warning before he wrapped a strong arm around your waist and lifted you off the ground. He jumped off the bridge and activated his jet pack. The guards tried to shoot at you two, but he maneuvered into the blinding sunlight to avoid their shots. You covered his back and shot at the group as he flew you away from the palace.

You caused some commotion as the Mandalorian landed you both in the middle of a crowded area. He hoped that the crowd would provide some cover, but someone quickly pointed at the two of you and shouted. The palace must have already put a hit out on you both. 

“Shit,” Mando grabbed your hand again and ran with you down the street. He weaved around the market stands as he tried to draw the incoming fire away from the civilians, which did not go unnoticed by you.

He threw a small smoke bomb behind you to create a harmless distraction and ducked into a small darkened alleyway. He pulled you in close to his body to shield you from sight and clung close to the wall. You held your breath as you heard stormtrooper voices pass by. For what felt like forever, you and Mando held perfectly still in the shadow of the alleyway as you waited for the sounds and commotion to die down.

Once it felt like the danger passed, Mando looked over his shoulder to check his surroundings. No one seemed to be around, and anyone who had been chasing you two moved on to look elsewhere. He moved his body so you could look up, but he kept his arms wrapped around you. You glanced over his shoulder before you turned to look up at him. It was then that you both realized how close you were and how tightly he held onto you. Mando let go of you and you stepped back awkwardly. Your heart was pounding in your chest, but you attributed that to what you just went through.

“We have to get back to the ruins,” you said urgently.

“No,” he replied.

“But…” you tried to retaliate but he cut you off.

“Just trust me, ok,” he reached his hand out to you again.

You looked down at his hand then back up at his helmet. He had gotten you this far. “Alright,” you sounded more out of breath as you took his hand.

The Mandalorian led you to the opposite side of the city from the ruins. In the back of your mind, you worried about why he led you this way, but you already made the decision to trust him. He made sure to avoid any people and remain undedicated as you headed out of the city. Once you left the city’s border, he seemed to relax a bit. It was much more quiet out here and was not guarded at all. Up ahead, you could see a small hill.

As you got closer to the hill and started to climb it, Mando started to slow down. Throughout your escape, he barely said anything, but you could feel his protectiveness in the way he held you so tightly. It made you wonder about him, why he did all this for you. Then, you noticed what you assumed was his ship hidden up in the hill.

Smart, you thought to yourself. It wasn’t the only surprise, though. As you both walked closer to his ship, you could see movement. It took you a moment to see what it was, but you quickly realized that it was all the children you had been looking after in the ruins. 

They came running up to you happily, and you almost cried from the relief of seeing them. You dropped to your knees and hugged them all. The children all talked over each other, which made it hard to hear what they each said. You managed to decipher the words “mandalorian,” “cool,” “help,” “baby,” among a few others before you noticed some of them pointed to a small green baby with large ears. They bounded back over to the baby, who stood on one of the rocks with his arms held up, as if he waited for the kids to come back to him. 

You stood up as you watched all the children interact playfully before you took off your mask and hood to reveal your face for the first time. You stretched your stiff neck and then turned to the Mandalorian, who had been watching over you.

“Your highness,” he addressed you formally. 

You weren’t surprised he figured out who you were: the supposedly kidnapped queen. You smiled up at him, and this time it was your turn to stay silent as your studied him.

“What?” he finally asked.

“I’m just trying to figure you out,” you answered in a light-hearted tone, “Big rough and tough Mandalorian is actually a big softie.”

“I resent that.”

“You shouldn’t,” you pat his chest tenderly, “It suits you,” you said with a warm smile before you went over to join the children.

Mando stood there dumbfounded as he watched your face light up around the children. He would never admit that your words caught him off guard. He touched his fingertips to his chest where you pat him and felt his heart skip a beat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what it is about this fic that makes me write these long chapters. I usually write much shorter chapters lol.  
> Follow me on my writing tumblr @FlightlessAngelWings


	3. Emotions

The children all stared up at you in awe. You kept your identity a secret to protect them, and they never would have guessed that it was the queen herself that protected them. Murmurs ran through the group of about a dozen children before they remembered what they wanted to show you.

“Look, look!” one of the little girls said excitedly as she led you to the child, “The Mandalorian has a baby!”

You pat the girl on the head as you kneeled down at meet the child’s eye. He looked at you and as soon as your eyes met, wide smile brightened his little face. You smiled back at him as you reached your hand out to him.

“Do you know what he is?” you heard Mando’s voice behind you.

“I’ve never seen anything like him before,” you replied to him without turning around. Something about this baby had you completely captivated. Not only was he adorable, but his eyes seemed to look directly into your soul. It was as if he could see things you could not. 

He reached out to you, and you could tell he wanted you to pick him up. Happily, you complied and lifted him off the perch he stood on and sat him in your lap. The children all got quiet as you and the child looked at each other. 

The child stretched his arms up to your face, and you bowed your head down so he could reach. As soon as his little hands touched your forehead, you felt a rush of emotions and could you see an image of your father in your mind. You broke away from his touch in a panic.

You tried to hide your alarm from everyone as you handed the baby to one of the older kids. You bit your thumbnail as you walked to the edge of the cliff with a blank expression on your face. The children all went back to fawning over the baby, and it was only Mando that watched you. 

“You ok?” he asked as he came to stand next to you.

“Where did this kid come from?” you answered with a question of your own.

“It’s a long story,” Mando briefly explained his target-turned-foundling story.

You chuckled, “So you have a habit of saving kids?” you smiled faintly. Clearly something was still on your mind, and Mando could tell you were avoiding it.

“Apparently,” he rested his arms in front of him. He stood next to you in silence for a few minutes as you both gazed over the horizon.

You exhaled sharply and broke the silence, “I’ve never seen a power like this in person before.”

The bounty hunter turned to you, “Power?”

“He gave me a vision. And I could feel,” you paused, “All these emotions,” you wrapped your arms around yourself.

“What did you see?” there was genuine concern in his voice.

“My father,” you could feel his gaze on you, but you kept yours straight ahead. You hadn’t thought about your father or your past in a long time, and it shook you to be reminded of it.

Mando knew there was more to it than this, but he decided not to push the subject any further. You two stood in a comfortable silence as you watched the sun in the distance. You could hear the children behind you, and this was the most you heard them laugh in a long time. While lost in thought, you realized what had to be done and you brought yourself back to the present.

“So, what’s the plan?” you asked.

“We wait for nightfall, then we get these kids out of here,” he answered, “Take them somewhere safe.”

You finally turned to him, and the tension melted away from your face. You opened your mouth to say something, but commotion behind you cut off your thoughts. One of the kids ran up to you and called your name.

“What’s wrong?” you asked as you put your hands on his shoulders.

The child took a breath before he answered you, “Bad guys, down there.”

You and the Mandalorian turned to each other before you both lept into action, “Looks like we don’t get to wait until night,” you commented with urgency in your voice.

He was quick to get back into battle mode, “Get the kids on the ship. I’ll cover you,” he said as he pulled his blaster out.

Immediately, your focus went to keeping the children safe as you did as the Mandalorian said. You scooped up his young child into your arms to keep him safe as you directed the rest to the ship. From down the hill, you could hear shots fired, and you tried to keep everyone quiet to stay hidden. 

As you got the last couple kids onto the ship, you could see Mando run back up the hill. You didn’t see anyone behind him, but you had a bad feeling that this wasn’t over just yet.

“We gotta go,” he said as you all hurried abroad, “Strap the kids in.” He then disappeared up into the cockpit and left you in the hull with all the little ones.

You couldn’t see anything, but you could hear the engine start up. You wasted no time and helped each child buckle into the row of seats that sat along the wall. To be more efficient, you sat some of the smaller ones into the older one’s laps. As the ship shook from take off, you could hear more sounds: other fighter ships.

The sounds of the children’s cries mixed with the sound of Mando firing on the enemy ships filled the space. Truth be told, you were just as afraid as the children, but you kept your face as level as possible and focused on keeping them strapped in and safe. The ship rocked around as the bounty hunter evaded fire, and you held on to a post with one arm with the child still tightly tucked in your other arm.

Suddenly, a small explosion rocked the ship. The children all screamed as you stared in horror at the small fire on the far end of the cargo area. You tightened your grip on the child as your body flung back against a wall.

“Mando! We’re hit!” you called up once you were able to take a breath. You hated how helpless you felt in the situation; you knew all you could really do is keep the kids from flying about the space. You could only hope that this bounty hunter was as good as the stories said.

The child stared at the growing fire and you could feel the determination in that tiny body as he tended in your grasp. He lifted his arms up and focused all his energy to the damaged hull. You and the rest of the kids all watched in awe as the metal seemed to move on its own and the ship seemed to repair itself. With wide eyes, you looked down and saw the child concentrating intently in your arms.

With one last shake, the mandalorian’s child managed to completely repair the damage, and it was as if nothing had hit the ship in the first place. Everyone in the room was in such shock, none of you realized that Mando had fished off the rest of the attackers and launched his ship into hyperspace to escape.

When Mando came into the hull space, he was met with silence, you and the children stared in amazement at the small green baby. He looked around and figured that the child had used his mysterious powers to fix the ship.

“Everyone ok?” he broke the silence.

You jumped at the sound of his voice and scanned the room to make sure they were all safe, “Yeah,” you breathed out, “Mando...what…?” you couldn’t form a complete sentence. You were aware that powers like this existed, but it was one thing to read about it and another to actually see it in person.

“It’s a long story,” he said with a sigh, “You all should rest. We’re safe now,” he addressed the children in a soft voice. He helped you get all the kids calmed down and settled. You passed his child back to him and watched as he tenderly lay the baby down on a cot. You felt something stir in you as you watched how gentle he was with all the children.

He looked up once the child was tucked in and you realized you were staring. You cleared your throat and looked away as you tugged at your shirt. You vaguely heard him tell you to rest as well before he disappeared back up into the cockpit. However, you were entirely too restless to sit still.

“Hey Mando,” you called up, “Mind if I join you?”

Your answer came when the door to the cockpit slid open, and you climbed up to join the Mandalorian in the small room. He sat in the pilot's chair, but it appeared he had already put the ship on autopilot. 

“What is it, your highness?”

“You don’t need to be so formal with me,” you replied and gave him your name, “That’ll do just fine. I’m not much of a queen right now anyway,” you added with a scoff. Then, you looked up and your face melted. You stared out into the vast space in wonder, and Mando could see your eyes sparkle like the stars.

“What’s wrong?” he asked with genuine concern.

You shook your head to pull yourself out of your thoughts, “Sorry, it’s just that I haven’t been off the planet since I was a kid. I almost forgot how beautiful the stars are,” you stared out the window, wide-eyed.

Mando watched as your face lit up, and he found himself thinking a similar thought. Only, his thought wasn’t about the stars.

Suddenly, you became aware of strong gaze on you. You cleared your throat as you fidgeted with your hands and looked down. “I, uh, just wanted to say thank you,” you broke the silence, “For helping me, and more importantly for saving the kids.” 

You seemed to have finished your thought, but Mando could feel a “but” in the air.

With a deep breath, you continued, “I hate to ask this of you, especially since you’ve done so much already,” you turned to face him, “But I can’t stay with the kids. I have to go back to Durane.”

“Go back?”

You steadied yourself, “I should never have let things get this bad. I have to fix my mistakes,” clearly, you were afraid. But you knew what you had to do, “I have to take the planet back from the Empire, finish what the rebels started before me. Even if...” your voice drifted off and you balled your hands into fists as your newly found determination drove you.

“I’ll help you,” he said plainly. He recognized that fire in your voice, and he knew how much this meat to you, even if it was a very dangerous mission. He also guessed that the vision of your father had something to do with your drive, but it wasn’t a subject he wanted to push.

This took you off guard, “I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve done more than enough as it is.”

“How can you be sure the people have a decent leader if you die trying?” he retorted in an attempt to lighten your spirits.

You cracked a slight smile. He never ceased to surprise you. The same feeling took over you again as you looked at him. Even if you couldn’t see his face, there was something about him that made your heart flutter. “How do you know I’ll be a decent leader?” you finally said in a playful voice.

“I have a good feeling about you,” you could hear the lighthearted tone in his voice and it made you chuckle softly. “Why don’t you get some rest? You’ll need it,” he added for a moment of silence.

You nodded as you were suddenly aware of how exhausted you actually were, “Thanks, Mando. For everything.”

He watched you leave the cockpit and instantly wished he asked you to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene at the end was one of the first things I thought of with this story so I'm happy we finally got to it. Next chapter will be a lot of fluff too so I'm looking forward to that too!  
> Follow me on my writing tumblr @FlightlessAngelWings


	4. Chapter 4

The planet Sorgan was peaceful and beautiful, and Mando said it was far enough away from any space ports that it was safe. With the child in his arms, he led the way through the forest to a small village with you and the children right behind him. As soon as his figure came into view, a gaggle of children from the village ran up to the bounty hunter enthusiastically. A sly smile lit your face up as you watched the native kids embrace him.

Mando must have felt your gaze on him, because he turned around to you and with a playful tone in his voice he said, “Not a word.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, “I didn’t say anything!” As much as you wanted to tease him again, you kept it to yourself. Truthfully, there was something in the way he interacted with all the kids that made your heart flutter. You bit your lip and pushed that thought down; now was not the time for that.

A woman came up from the crowd and introduced herself to you as Omera. She glanced between Mando, you and the dozen children with a confused look on her face. He briefly explained the situation to her and the couple others who listened in. You noticed that he omitted some details, like that you were the queen, in his retelling and you appreciated that. There was no need to make things more complicated, and the less these people knew the safer they were.

“I’m sorry to ask this, but these kids need somewhere safe,” you knew this was asking a lot from these people, but there were no other options, “They can work if you need them to. Help out wherever,” you pleaded.

Omera smiled warmly at you, “Of course they can stay with us,” her voice was genuine and you could tell she was a kind woman, “Why don’t you stay here and rest a while? You look like you’ve been through a lot.”

“You have no idea,” you said as you used a laugh to cover your pain, “Thank you,” you shook her hand. The village didn’t seem to have a set leader, but the others seemed to listen to Omera and followed her lead.

She led you and the Mandalorian to a bench to sit while the children you brought with you mingled with the native kids. They all fawned over Mando’s green baby and made up games to play with him. One little girl in particular seemed to really bond with the baby, and Omera told you that was her daughter, Winta. As you watched the children mingle and play, a faint smile grew on your face, but Mando could still see sadness in your eyes. 

One of the younger kids ran up to you and pulled your arm to join them. You joined the group in their games and romping, and you found yourself lost in the moment. You laughed with them and skipped around and for that one moment, everything was ok.

Mando watched you from where he sat.

“You like her don’t you?” Omera’s voice broke through his thoughts as she sat down next to him.

“What?” her statement took him off guard.

“You like her,” she repeated, “You haven’t looked away from her this whole time.”

“I…” he turned to face her but he couldn’t find any words.

“It’s ok,” her tone was light, “I think you two are a good fit.” The last time the Mandalorian visited the village, she developed feelings for him. However, with the passage of time and the focus on her homeland, those feelings changed into more of a deep friendship, and she felt no animosity towards his new companion.

Mando sighed as he looked down to his hands, “I think fate has other plans for her.” Why did he feel such a pain in his chest at his statement? He looked back up in your direction as he tried to sort through his feelings in his head.

She laughed, “Since when were you one to let fate decide your future?”

That made him think as he continued to watch you. “Thank you,” he said quietly after some time. 

The sun started to set and the Mandalorian decided it was time to leave. He scooped the child up in his arms as he waited for you to say goodbye to the children. You hugged them each one by one and told them all to be strong and to be good.

“We’ll come back for you when it's safe, ok?” you told them. You thanked the locals for their help and their hospitality before you followed Mando into the woods back towards his ship. It was only when you were out of sight that you let your emotions out with a heavy sigh.

“You shouldn’t lie to them,” he said to you.

You knew what he meant: you never intended to come back here, “I don’t know if it’ll ever be safe back home,” your words were heavy as you spoke, “They’re safer here. It’s better this way,” the smile that donned your face before was gone and replaced by a solemn expression. 

He chose not to pursue the topic because he knew you were right. The child looked up at him and cooed inquisitively, and he gently patted the top of his head. The rest of the walk back to the ship was silent save for the child’s soft noises and yawns. Once you reached the ship, Mando set the baby down on a cot and he fell right asleep. He then went up to the cockpit and launched the ship into space. You trailed behind him silently, and only broke the silence once all you could see were stars. 

You decided it was time for the Mandalorian to know about your past. 

“I come from a line of resistance fighters,” you started, “My father brought us to Durane when I was little to help the people fight the empire there. He always suspected Jido of allying with the empire, so he joined his guard as an undercover spy to try to gain information. As I got older, he rose in the ranks, and Jido asked me to marry him. I don’t think he suspected anything at that point. I accepted because I wanted to help, even though my father said it was a bad idea. It was fine at first, in front of people he seemed the regal king people thought him to be. But when we were alone he…” you trailed off and wrapped your arms around yourself.

Mando wanted to reach out to comfort you, but he chose to stay still and listened intently.

You cleared your throat and continued, “Eventually I think he got suspicious because one day he sent my father off on a mission,” you paused as tears filled your eyes, “He came back dead.” You felt a hand on your shoulder, and you let out a deep breath before you went on. “After that, Jido hunted down anyone he suspected of opposing him. I sent out a secret order to go underground, but I don’t know how many it actually reached,” you wiped away a tear, “I lost everyone I ever cared about. But, for some reason he left me alive,” you chuckled dryly, “Maybe he thought I’d suffer more alive, I don’t know.”

“I was all alone, so for a long time I did nothing. I don’t even know if anyone escaped his wrath,” you sighed, “I hope so. But I haven’t heard any word in over a year. Then, families started coming to the king saying their children were being kidnapped. When Jido did nothing, I decided I would. Even if I was alone, I had to do something,” you paused again as if you were lost in thought, “I think that’s what the kid was trying to tell me: I had forgotten who I was and what my mission was. But I know now. I’m going to take the planet away from Jido and the Empire.”

Mando’s hand squeezed your shoulder as he spoke your name, “You’re not alone. As long as I’m here, you’re not alone.” It was then he made a silent promise to himself to protect you, and he realized just how much you meant to him.

You looked up at him with wide eyes and even though you couldn’t see his face, you could feel his energy. In his touch, you could feel how he cared. You felt as though the two of you shared a special connection, and you wondered if he felt the same way. A blush graced your face as your thoughts turned from your past to your present.

“Do you trust me?” you asked him as you lay your hand on top of his. 

“Yes,” his answer came without hesitation. 

You ripped a long piece of fabric off your cloak and wrapped it tightly around your eyes. When it was secure and your vision was completely blocked, you reached up to his helmet. You could feel his gloved hands over yours as he helped you take it off. You listened as he set his helmet down.

When his hand cupped your face, you realized he took his gloves off as well and it was his bare skin against yours. You reached out and felt his chest in front of you, the beskar cold under your touch. You moved your hands up to feel his face. It was warm and you could feel scruff along his jawline. His gaze was fixed on your lips as your hands roamed over his face and into his hair.

He kept one hand on your cheek and his other wrapped around your waist. Slowly, he pulled you close to him and gently touched his lips to yours. It was a light kiss at first, then you deepened the kiss as you held onto his soft hair. Your tongues danced to a song without music as waves of feelings rushed from two of you. The kiss spoke more than words could for either of you as both your and Mando’s emotions ran wild.

Reluctantly, you broke away for air, but your faces did not stray far from each other. Mando rubbed his thumb over your cheek tenderly as he studied every inch of your face. He pulled you close again as he rested his face against yours. You held onto him tightly, as if you were afraid he would disappear if you let go. Even though his vision wasn’t blocked, Mando had the same fear.

It was then you heard his voice, “Din Djarin.”

“What?” your voice was just a whisper.

“My name. It’s Din Djarin,” he repeated softly.

With this, you knew how much he trusted you, and it made you realize how much you cared about him. Din held you tightly as you both enjoyed these last few quiet moments together. You were both fully aware of what was to come, and that this may be the last time you would have a moment like this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much fluff!!!! I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope y’all enjoyed reading it!! And I’m thinking this is going to be about 6 chapters total so we’re nearing the last leg of this fic here!


	5. Chapter 5

You and the Mandalorian stood in conference with two of his allies: Cara Dune and Greef Karga. The four of you discussed the plan to move forward, and even though you had never met the other two before, you trusted them because Mando did. As a group, you all decided that Greef would go into the underground of the city to find any surviving rebels while you, Mando and Cara went into the palace to take out King Jido and his guards.

“Take this,” You handed Greef a necklace with a medium-sized medallion on the end of it. On that coin was a simple design of a crescent moon and three stars; it was your symbol. “That way the rebels know to trust you,” your tone was focused and serious, but you had a melancholy undertone to your voice.

He took it from you with a slight bow of his head. You knew that if this operation was successful, you would be the new leader of the planet and this would be how people would greet you, but you couldn’t get used to it. Even after all these years of marriage to the king, it just felt weird to you. Truth was you would rather be free to travel the galaxy and live on your own terms, and you had a certain somebody in mind to stay with. But, at least for now, that was not how your story was meant to play out.

“What about the kid?” you asked as the child cooed at you.

“He stays with me,” the Mandalorian said in a tone that left no room for argument.

“But Mando, it’ll be dangerous,” you protested, “Wouldn’t he be safer here?”

Cara and Greef stayed silent as they remembered the last time they went up against an enemy together.

“No,” his voice was firm but not harsh.

Your eyes darted around the room as if you tried to look for an answer on the walls or the floor. Then, an idea came to you, “Do you trust me?” you asked the bounty hunter.

He looked directly at you, “Yes.”

~

The main doors of the grand palace swung open and you led the way down the winding hallways with the Mandalorian and Cara Dune on either side of you. Over your shoulders, you wore a long and elegant cape that closed in the front with ornate buttons and you made yourself look more regal to look the part of a queen. You kept your face stoic, but underneath your facade, you were terrified. 

Cara counted the guards as the three of you walked by. “There’s more than we thought,” she said in a hushed tone.

You swallowed hard, “We just have to hope we have backup coming.”

When the three of you reached the doors to the main throne room, the guards looked momentarily shocked; no one at the palace had heard any word from you for several days and some presumed you were dead. They quickly gathered themselves and opened the way for you. You glanced quickly between your two allies before you stepped through the doorway.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Mando said. You glanced over your shoulder at him before you took a deep breath.

Jido sat on this elevated throne with two elite guards on either side of him. The rest of the large room was lined with about 20 stormtroopers and droids plus the two guards at the door. A wicked smile grew on his face as you approached him. “My queen has returned,” he rose to his feet as he announced your entrance to the room. 

You could almost taste the venom in his voice.

He continued, “But isn’t that the Mandalorian that broke into my prison and attacked my guards?” Blasters pointed towards the three of you at his words. Cara and Mando immediately reached for their own blasters in response, but did not move to fire yet.

“Wait,” you musted as much authority in your voice as you could, “These two are the ones responsible for bringing me back safe,” you raised your hands, “That isn’t the welcome they deserve,” you looked around the room with a fierce look in your eyes. Your gaze fell on the king as you waited for him to make his move.

Jido stared you down for a moment and he saw the same anger in your eyes as the last time he saw you in this room. “Of course, of course,” he finally said and motioned for everyone to lower their weapons. You could hear both Mando and Cara breathe a sigh of relief behind you, but this game wasn’t over yet. This was just the first round.

“So tell me,” the king started as he took a step away from his throne towards you, “How did you find your way back home?”

He was baiting you, and you knew it, but all you had to do right now was kill some time until backup arrived. Before you could answer, you heard Mando’s voice behind you.

“I needed the fugitive to lead me to the queen,” he answered for you when he saw Jido start to get angry with your lack of response.

“It’s true my king,” you supported his lie. The tension in the room was palpable. 

Jido squinted and thought for a moment before he spoke, “I’m happy to have you back my queen. It would be a tragedy to lose you the way I lost my old captain.”

Those words made your face drop. The fierce look in your eyes quickly faded and was replaced with sadness as your lip quivered. The old captain was your father, and it was his memory that motivated you to move against the king in the first place. You had always suspected that Jido was responsible for the death of your father but had no proof, and now he was taunting you with it. Behind you, Mando’s anger was rising, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort you. But he couldn’t, so he kept his focus on you while Cara surveyed the room.

“Oh yes that’s right,” the king continued in a sinister tone, “He was your father. Such a shame.” His eyes honed in on your face to watch every micro-reaction from you.

You tried your hardest to keep your face level, but a slight shift in your eyes and part of your lips gave you away. The king couldn’t see your hands under your cloak, but you balled your hands into tight fists.

“Steady,” Cara whispered behind you when she saw your shoulders shake. You closed your eyes and took in a deep breath as you let her voice calm you down. The feeling of her and Mando behind you was helpful and you took in a few more slow breaths before you looked back up at the king.

It looked as if a shadow darkened his features and it was obvious he enjoyed watching you struggle with your emotions. His guards kept their stance stiff and were ready to attack in a moment’s notice. “It really is a shame that I sent him on that suicide mission,” he said coldly as he looked right into your eyes, “But I had to do what I had to do. He was a threat to me, and you know that I don’t tolerate threats, little vigilante.”

Shock completely took you over and your mouth dropped open at his confession. Angry tears formed in your eyes as Jido laughed at your pain. Before your brain could catch up to your muscles, you flung your cape back, pulled out your blaster and shot the king in the leg in one swift movement. With your cape now open, everyone in the room could now see that you hid the Mandalorian’s child strapped to your chest underneath. Mando took a step forward and grabbed your arm protectively as Cara raised her weapon and pointed it at the nearest group of enemies.

The guards and stormtroopers instantly raised their weapons and pointed at the three of you but did not fire yet. Jido hunched over in pain, but raised one of his hands, “Hold your fire,” he looked up at you and noticed the child, no longer hidden by your cape. His eyes widened, “The child,” he whispered to himself. “I know someone who is looking for you,” he addressed the baby before he gave orders to his subordinates, “Leave the queen and the baby to me. Kill the other two.”

Blasters started to fire on the three of you and Cara immediately started to fire back. Mando kept one hand on your arm still as he pulled his blaster out with the other and covered you and the child. “Get cover,” he ordered as he gave you a push. You wrapped your arms around the child as you ran over to one of the large colums and ducked behind it for cover. Once you had the child safe, you raised your own blaster and helped Mando and Cara take down the crowd of guards.

Cara made her way towards the entrance to take down the droids that guarded the room while Mando combatted the king’s guards. You focused your fire on the middle of the room to cover both of your friends. Mando wasted no time and went after Jido himself after he easily took down the royal guard. The king did not put up much of a fight since he was already injured from your shot at him, and the Mandalorian quickly took him down. He then turned his attention to the rest of the enemies in the room.

Back on the other side, more stormtroops started to pour into the room. Once you noticed, you focused your fire there to cover for Cara. However, you soon had to refocus on yourself as a handful of enemies closed in on you. You holstered your blaster in favor of your batons and fought them off in close combat. The child held on to the straps that held him to your body and watched without fear as you all battled. 

“We’re going to be too outnumbered soon!” Cara yelled over the fire as another wave of enemies ran into the room. You took a moment to think, and quickly came up with an idea. You just hoped it would work.

“Hey little guy,” you asked the child as you pulled your blaster back out, “You think you could get the door for us so we don’t get any more uninvited guests?” The child looked up at you with his big eyes before he focused on the large double doors. He raised his little arms and squinted his eyes as he called on his mysterious power to move the doors shut. You could feel the strain his body went though as he was able to push the heavy doors shut. “Thanks, buddy,” you said as you pat him on the head tenderly before you fired a few shots right in the chest of approaching stormtroopers.

The feeling of hope came over you as the tides seemed to have turned. Between Mando, Cara and you, the rest of the enemies started to fall. In your communicator, you could hear the sounds of another battle at the palace doors, and you knew that meant the Greef had found the rest of the resistance fighters and backup was on its way. You lifted your gaze and met Mando’s from across the room. He gave you a small nod and you smiled in response; you were so close, this was almost over. A shot in your direction made you duck behind a pillar for cover and the Mandalorian quickly took down the shooter.

As the last few enemies fell, you heard Mando call your name. You stepped out from behind your nook, “We’re ok,” you were out of breath and your face and arms were bruised, but otherwise you were unhurt. You glanced between him and Cara and you shared a smile with her as all three of you exhaled in relief. Your eyes shifted from your new friend to the bounty hunter across the room and your gaze lingered on him for a few moments.

The sound of rustling at the door drew your attention and the three of you raised your weapons. Since she was the closest, Cara inched towards the door, but she relaxed when she heard the sound of Greef’s voice on the other side. You and the bounty hunter lowered your weapons as she opened the door to let your allies into the room. Smiles adorned everyone’s faces as they scanned the room of fallen Imperials. You turned to face Mando again and gazed at him longingly. You could guess by his body language that his expressions matched yours.

The sense of relief didn’t last long, though.

Movement from the throne caught your eye and you saw a severely injured Jido struggle to get up from the floor. He managed to push himself up enough to raise a blaster right at you. “I’ll take you both out here and now, bitch,” he cursed as he fired a precise shot right at your chest in an attempt to take out both you and the child. Mando’s shoulders and Cara’s face dropped as they both rushed over to you as fast as they could.

You had only milliseconds to react and you quickly wrapped your arms around the child and turned your back to Jido. The shot hit you right in your side and you felt searing pain as you fell to the floor. The only thing that registered in your head was the sound of Mando screaming your name. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the dramatic cliffhanger ending but I couldn't help it!!!


	6. Chapter 6

In a panic, the Mandalorian rushed over to where you and the child fell. As he ran over, he shot Jido right between the eyes, which killed him instantly. “No, no, no, no,” panic laced his voice as he dropped to his knees right next to you.

Your chest barely moved as your breath became more and more shallow. The Mandalorian gently cradled your head and turned you so that you faced up. He then looked down at your midsection where you were hit. Blood oozed out of your side and he could tell the hit was painful… and fatal if nothing was done.

With a cough, you stirred slightly, which drew his attention back to your face. He gazed down at you as your eyes met his vizor. You smiled slightly before you opened your arms to let the child down onto the ground. The way you wrapped yourself around his tiny body saved him as he didn’t have a scratch on him.

“Told you I’d protect him,” your voice was weak but you tried to make yourself laugh through the pain. The child whimpered as he grabbed onto the fabric of Mando’s pants and looked up at him with worry. 

“I didn’t mean with your life,” he choked as he traced his thumb across your cheek.

Breathing became harder for you, but you gathered your strength, “It’s ok Mando,” you spoke slowly as you closed your eyes, “It’s ok.” You didn’t regret going up against Jido or using your body to shield the child. Your only regret was that you didn’t get more time with Mando. 

The rest of the resistance fighters stood silently near the doorway and watched helplessly. They had won this battle, but there was nothing any of them could do to help you. Some of them who knew you when you were younger tried to run over to you, but Cara stopped them. She thought it best to let Mando be alone with you for now. 

The child looked at you with sadness in his eyes before he let go of Mando and waddled over to you. He raised his little hand up to your wound and focused all his energy towards your body. The Mandalorian watched as the child pushed his body to the limits to heal your wound.

“Here,” he said to the child as he gave him his hand, “Take my strength.” 

He looked up at his caretaker for a moment before he wrapped his small hand around his finger. The child then turned his focus back to your wound and concentrated even harder than before. Mando could feel his strength drain as the child called upon it to revive you. But his pain didn’t matter, and he would give everything he had to save you. He couldn’t lose you. 

Mando could see the wound on your side close and the blood started to dry up. Once the child successfully healed you, he slumped down to his knees in exhaustion. The bounty hunter easily caught him and pulled him towards his body to keep him secure. Moments seemed to pass eternally slowly, and he held his breath in anticipation.

You lay still for a few moments before you took in a deep, gasping breath and opened your eyes. Mando could feel silent tears well up in his eyes as he watched you finally wake up. He let out a sigh of relief as he cradled your cheek. Your eyes wandered from the child next to you up to the helmeted figure over your body and you smiled softly.

“Hey kid,” you reached out to the child and gently touched his cheek affectionately before you turned your attention to the Mandalorian. “Din,” you whispered so softly that no one else could hear you speak his real name. As you gazed up at him, you could see his shoulders shake subtly. 

“You’re ok,” his voice sounded hoarse, but you could hear the relief in his words. He held onto you with one arm as his other held the child, and everything he could ever need in the entire galaxy lay safe in his embrace.

“They’re ok!” you could hear cheers behind the Mandalorian as the rest of your allies got the good news. Mando let out a soft laugh as he scooped the child into one of his arms and helped you up to your feet.

~

The sun shined bright on the palace and the air felt more fresh than it had in a long time. With the king dead, the rest of the empire loyalists scattered and with the Mandalorian’s help they were driven completely off the planet. He then decided to stay a while to help you and the resistance rebuild the city and establish a new order. You admitted to him when you were alone how strange it felt to be the one completely in charge, but he assured you that you would do a great job. Hearing him say it helped to boost your confidence. 

But both you and he knew his time here was limited as he had his own mission, just as you had yours. You were grateful for his help beyond words, and it made your heart sink to think that his time here was at its end. He hid it well under his armor, but Mando felt the exact same way.

You led him towards the landing pad where his ship sat. With the child in his arms, he followed at your side and admired how you looked today. You were dressed in an elegant jumpsuit, complete with a flowing cape and sparkling jewels. You truly looked the part of a queen, and Mando couldn’t help but stare when you weren’t looking. When you reached his ship, you stopped and turned to face him. You both knew this was goodbye, but you each seemed to want to drag it out as long as possible and you stood in a comfortable silence for a moment.

You cleared your throat before you spoke, “I sent some relevant texts I could find from the royal archives to your ship so I hope they help.”

“Thank you,” he replied with a slight bow of his head. The child cooed as if he wanted to be a part of the conversation as well.

“Thank you Mando, for everything,” your voice broke a little as you were overcome with emotion, “And thank you for saving my life, little guy,” you stroked the child’s ear lovingly. He giggled at you as he wrapped his hand around your finger. “Here, take this,” you handed a necklace with a large coin embellished with your symbol to the child, who took it eagerly, “It could come in handy when you’re in a tight spot,” your eyes drifted back to the bounty hunter. “You’ll always have an ally here.”

Mando watched as the child playfully fiddled with the necklace before he met your gaze, “Thank you,” he paused, “Again,” his tone was light.

You beamed at him before your face dropped, “I wish I could ask you to stay,” you spoke softly as you’re hand lingered on his arm, “but I know that’s not fair of me to ask.”

“And I know I can’t ask you to come with me,” he responded in a warm tone.

Your eyes lit up as you realized what his words meant. “Could I ask you to come back then?”

That made him laugh, “You can.” He then reached into his pocket and brandished a necklace of his own. It had an elongated skull on it, and you guessed it was something that was very meaningful to him. With one hand, he spread the necklace across his fingers and draped it over your head. “I’ll let you hang on to this until I come back,” he said as it dropped onto your chest.

You looked down and inspected the symbol on the necklace. You felt a blush on your skin as you wondered what the symbol meant. Maybe that would be a conversation for next time. A smile graced your face as you fiddled with the necklace. But it only lasted a few moments before your face dropped as a thought weighed down on you. “Din, I…”

He cut off your thought with your name, “Wait,” he cupped your face with his hand and tilted your face up to look at him, “Tell me when I come back.”

You only nodded in response. Mando gently pulled your head close to his and leaned into you. His helmeted forehead touched yours and you closed your eyes and rested your hands on his chest as you leaned into his embrace. You let out a heavy sigh as you lost yourself in the moment. In his embrace, you could feel his warmth and affection, and you had no doubt in your mind that you’ll see each other again.

When it was time to pull away, Din did so very reluctantly. He took a minute to study every inch of your face as he kept his hand on you; he did not want to break the connection quite yet. He could see the emotions in your eyes as you looked back at him, and you reached your hand out and softly touched his helmet. He trusted your touch and did not flinch. The child cooed in his arms, and you giggled in response.

With a deep breath, Mando finally pulled back, and with a small bow, he turned and boarded his ship. The child gurgled and tilted his head as if to question why you didn’t follow. “We’ll see her again,” he promised the child as he patted the top of his head. 

As he made his way towards the cockpit, Mando noticed something. On the weapon rack, there were more weapons than he had before. He stared for a moment as he counted his weapons in his head, and then he realized that right in the middle lay your batons. He let out a short laugh as he felt his skin warm. He looked down at the child again, “We will definitely see her again,” this time he sounded more cheerful. The child cooed happily as Mando moved them into the cockpit and took off.

The rush of air lifted your cape and made it flutter as you watched the person that held your heart fly off into the stars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I do have a sequel planned!!! And I have an idea of where to start it, but I'm going to wait for season 2 to finish fleshing out my idea. In the meantime, I do have more Mando stuff planned, including some smut :)  
> Thank you all so much for the love on this story!! I didn't think anyone would read or like it, so it means a lot!!  
> Follow me on my writing tumblr @FlightlessAngelWings


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